Talk:Sam Wolowitz/@comment-27269343-20161012040757
I'm about to throw my idea on the contents of Sam's letter to Howard... My belief is that the contents of the letter were both, the picture Bernadette mentions and the story that Amy mentions. Raj's story is very "him," being very silly, fun, and dorky. It doesn't seem like a letter that a father who ran out on his son and wife would send him, Raj added a couple of details about the card at the end that made me feel that he was making it seem as though he'd seen the letter, while he only heard about the contents from Sheldon. Furthermore, the contents seemed pretty detailed for Raj to explain, although it wasn't too much for Sheldon, a man with an idetic memory to explain. Sheldon's was obviously fake. Leonard's story about putting family first seems closer to what Leonard would want to hear, considering who his mother is, and how she behaves toward him and treated him while growing up. Furthermore, if his father stated the point about reminding Howard that "family is most important," it wouldn't make sense for him to start a second family, as well. My issue with Penny's is relative the same. Penny is an actress, so making a story up that seems very Hollywood about how his life caught up with him, and how he had to leave them behind would seem like something she would come up with. Likewise, if he was leaving due to his past and left his family behind, it wouldn't make sense for him to start another family. The two which make the most sense are Bernadette's picture and Amy's letter, as Amy's letter seems like something heartfelt enough and strong enough that we could only hope that it's true. Howard could've felt that it was likely IF the letter arrived shortly after his graduation, which, if Howard's father DID attend, would explain what suddenly caused him to send the letter. Having it arrive on his 18th birthday would further the claim that he was there during Howard's graduation (This also sort of reveals that Howard graduated prior to turning 18). It would also make sense, considering how defensive Sheldon became after his fake letter was shown-up by the truth, trying to make it seem like Amy's letter was fake, and that his was real (Which he's done countless times before and since, trying to pass his brand of reality as the truth, while putting the truth out as a lie). Furthermore, Bernadette's picture makes sense, as it is unlikely that Sam would not have at least one photo of his son to remind him of what he'd left behind, and what picture would make more sense than him holding his son after his son was born? It would also make sense that Bernadette had part of the true contents of the letter that she told him about. Also, the "Thanksgiving Decoupling," an episode in the following season, showed a picture of a man holding a baby as Bernadette explained it, meaning that Howard may have had another picture like the one Bernadette explained (Furthering that this is the truth), or that Sheldon separated the picture from the letter due to the internal Gremlins of his mind REQUIRING him to separate and organize everything as he feels it needs to be. If this is the case, then when Howard destroyed the envelope, the picture would not be in the envelope, but with the pictures Howard shows Bernadette (This would bring everything full circle in that regard). After Howard finds the picture, he brings himself to put the picture up rather than destroy it like he initially wanted to. Now, my claim is that both are the truth, as Howard would likely have noticed if the envelope was empty. Furthermore, Sheldon was in an ethical conundrum about where he needed to file the letter. He reaches in to show the letter, but is cut off prior to explaining why he'd have trouble filing this. If it was only a letter, he could file it with other letters or other things of the sort; however, if it was only a picture, he could file it with other pictures. Also, his father sending him nothing but a picture wouldn't make sense, as it's undoubtable that a father who left his son and wife, and wanted to send him something meaningful, would've sent him something strong like a letter explaining everything, as well as a picture for his son to keep. Hell, if I was in this situation (I NEVER WOULD, but let's say if I ever was), I would have made a copy of my only picture, written everything I possibly could, and sent the picture with the letter. Then, if I ever finally chose to meet him, I would have my picture, and if he had his, that'd give a bit of proof that he was always in my thoughts... It would make sense that Bernadette would tell Howard about the part of the letter that still existed, the photo that Sheldon separated from the letter, as if Howard decided to go through the photos while Bernadette was there, she could console him and try to talk him out of throwing the picture away. At least, that's how I feel about it... Again, this is my speculation, but I hope that I'm right. Granted, it could be possible that the contents of the letter were dissected into a few different parts... Hell, it's possible that the envelope had a picture of Sam and baby Howard, along with a letter explaining that his past caught up with him, and telling Howard to never let it happen to him. It's also possible that he had to leave his second son as well, not just Howard, and it could be possible that the letter was within a card where the frog was stuck to the bottom of the plane. It could also tell that Sam was at Howard's graduation, and that he loved Howard. Hell, it could also be possible that there was a Goonies reference within the letter as a joke to try and break up the sadness, which sounds like something Howard would do, and like-father-like-son.